A sequential analysis of therapist scaffolding and child concept formation in narrative therapy

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Abstract

Narrative therapy is a postmodern therapy that takes the position that people
create self-narratives to make sense of their experiences. To date, narrative therapy has
compiled virtually no quantitative and very little qualitative research, leaving gaps in
almost all areas of process and outcome. White (2006a), one of the therapy's founders,
has recently utilized Vygotsky's (1934/1987) theories of the zone of proximal
development (ZPD) and concept formation to describe the process of change in narrative
therapy with children. In collaboration with the child client, the narrative therapist
formalizes therapeutic concepts and submits them to increasing levels of generalization to
create a ZPD. This study sought to determine whether the child's development proceeds
through the stages of concept formation over the course of a session, and whether
therapists' utterances scaffold this movement.
A sequential analysis was used due to its unique ability to measure dynamic
processes in social interactions. Stages of concept formation and scaffolding were coded
over time. A hierarchical log-linear analysis was performed on the sequential data to
develop a model of therapist scaffolding and child concept development. This was
intended to determine what patterns occur and whether the stated intent of narrative
therapy matches its actual process. In accordance with narrative therapy theory, the log-linear analysis produced a
final model with interactions between therapist and child utterances, and between both
therapist and child utterances and time. Specifically, the child and youth participants in
therapy tended to respond to therapist scaffolding at the corresponding level of concept
formation. Both children and youth and therapists also tended to move away from earlier
and toward later stages of White's scaffolding conversations map as the therapy session
advanced. These findings provide support for White's contention that narrative therapists
promote child development by scaffolding child concept formation in therapy.